Rating: 
Summary: Visually Perfect!
Review: There are so many versions of this story available it may be hard to peg down why some are better than others. In my opinion this is the best live action version available. It is a well cast, scripted and accurate version of the original story. So many good things have been mentioned about this movie that I find it hard to add anything new. Well I'll give it a try. Given that this film is a made for television it has great film sets and special effects. This film has captured what I would have thought an urban area in mid to late 1800's in England would have looked like. The special effects used to portray certain aspects of the various ghosts were top notch and still hold up today. Lastly, even though new versions of this story are always being made I've given up on sampling them all. I would rather just pop this film in the VCR and enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Handsome film has points of interest; best recent adaptation
Review: This 1984 adaptation of the Charles Dickens story has several noteworthy things going for it. In this writer's opinion, the parts are greater than the whole, but the individual aspects are well worth viewing. George C. Scott's Ebenezer Scrooge is almost chilling. In Scott's hands Scrooge is calmly insistent in his ways, and relentlessly cold. It's a fine, unique characterization with many subtleties; other actors deliver the "stake of holly through his heart" dialogue as a grouchy peeve, but with Scott it's a grisly joke that Scrooge is especially enjoying. His controlled reserve is admirable for the most part, but misplaced at the finish. One wants to see the Ghosts of Christmas tear off his miser's mask and really scare the stuffing out of him. But somehow Scrooge's reclamation is neither as drastic nor as effective as in other film versions. Scrooge's delighted laugh in the last reel is about the same as his ironic laugh in the first reel. The supporting portrayals vary in faithfulness to Dickens. Scrooge's nephew Fred, a breezy, friendly character who says he'll "keep my Christmas spirit to the last," certainly doesn't show it by his timid and soft-spoken demeanor here. On the other hand, Edward Woodward is outstanding as the Ghost of Christmas Present, a hearty giant who delights in showing Scrooge up. Director Clive Donner adds some deft touches (Marley's Ghost howls "Scrooooooooge" as a horse-drawn coffin passes by; for once Scrooge has enough of a Ghost, and terminates the visitation forcibly). There are enough points of distinction to recommend this as a good picture. This writer gives the George C. Scott version a bronze medal behind the Sir Seymour Hicks and Alastair Sim versions.
Rating:
Summary: Not My Favorite Version But It Is A Good One!
Review: Not in my opinion the best version of A Christmas Carol but it is a darn good movie and George C. Scott has always been one of my favorite actors. I just personally though prefer the Patrick Stewart and Alisdair Sim versions but this does come really close to being tops and I do recommend it! I know some diehard fans of this movie will think I'm slamming it and George C. Scott but I'm not! I like it but it's just not my all time favorite!
Rating:
Summary: The best CAROL ever, with the best Scrooge ever
Review: There's a reason that of all the stories woven around the Christmas season, and of all the tales Charles Dickens told, this one is still being retold over a century later. And it's the same reason Clive Donner's version, out of all the many filmed and staged retellings, is still around and now being offered in DVD format: they are, quite simply, both the best of their breed. The script is faithful to Dickens' original text as few other versions have been, the production values are sumptuous and conscientious in their historical accuracy, and the performances from a star-packed cast are pure British sterling, above all the late, lamented George C. Scott's unforgettable limning of an all too human Ebenezer Scrooge. Also not to be missed are Edward (THE EQUALIZER) Woodward as the Ghost of Christmas Present, cruelly rebuking Scrooge with his own words; Mark Strickson (Turlough of DOCTOR WHO fame) as the young Scrooge in the Christmas Past sequence; Roger Rees, Susannah York, Frank Finlay as a suitably fearsome Marley's Ghost, the always reliable David Warner as Bob Cratchit, Angela Pleasance as the gentle Ghost of Christmas Past, Joanne Whalley (the former Mrs. Val Kilmer, of SCANDAL and many other films) and Michael Gough (another DOCTOR WHO veteran [the Celestial Toymaker in Hartnell's First Doctor era] and Alfred the butler in the BATMAN films). Seeing Scott as Scrooge crying out in anguish over his own gravestone, "Why show me this if I am past all hope?"; then on Christmas morning, jumping up and down on his four-poster with glee; showing up on his nephew's doorstep, properly shame-faced and hoping for a chance to begin again -- these moments bring a tear to my eye and a lump to my throat every time. If you need a reminder of why this season is so important even to those of us who have lost faith in the Christian church, bookend this film with Clive's brother Richard Donner's equally excellent updating of Dickens' classic tale, SCROOGED, starring Bill Murray (his speech at the end is worth the price of the DVD all by itself!) for a night of holiday laughter and tears like no other. Scrooge embodies the hope that all of us have that, whatever our failings and our misdeeds, our lives may yet be counted of value and our souls admitted into heaven; and this version of his odyssey from miserdom to redemption makes it abundantly clear why this one short story holds such a special place in the canon of Western literature.
Rating:
Summary: A Holiday Classic
Review: This is, by far, the best screen version of "A Christmas Carol" ever produced. I watched this when it first premiered on American television and my family wore our scratchy, taped-from-television copy ragged over the years to come. Since we were atheists/agnostics who celebrated a secular version of the season, we depended on "A Christmas Carol" and other universal holiday stories to bring a deeper meaning and sense of tradition to the seasonal festivities. Finding it on DVD a few years ago was like finding an old family album professionally binded and preserved. It's truly an excellent experience and George C. Scott, one of the greatest American actors, does an admirable job, yet the supporting case of seasoned english actors truly makes this production first-rate. Pick up this DVD today and start a holiday tradition of your own.
Rating:
Summary: One of The Best Versions!
Review: I have liked The Christmas Carol story ever since I was a little girl and watched one of the older black and white versions and last year I got this George C. Scott version as a Christmas gift and I think it's very good and is #3 on my top ten list of my favorite Christmas Carol movies. George C. Scott may not have used and English accent but that is a minor flaw because his acting was very good so I think the accent thing can be overlooked and I recommend this DVD, not much in the way of extras but I'm just happy I own the movie on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Merry Christmas to all, and a happy new year to the world!
Review: This line of Scrooge's as he jumps up and down on his large four poster bed are about my favorite from any Christmas movie, ever. I've seen more than one version of "A Christmas Carol" but none compare to this 1984 version. The portrayal of mid 19th century England is stunning and the music is FANTASTIC. But of course the very best part of the movie is George C. Scott, who plays Scrooge to perfection. His only shortcoming is in the British accent, but the rest of his performance more than makes up for it. He manages to make Scrooge seem like a real human being and not just an old humbug. When the Ghost of Christmas Past reviews the horrible day Scrooge's fiance Bell gave back her engagement ring, you can see the pain in his eyes at the memory of it. And when he finally realizes what he has become and begs for a second chance, he really seems to mean it. My family watched this once and decided to make it a Christmas tradition. If you see it, I'm sure you'll want to do the same.
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE BETTER VERSIONS OF TIMELESS CLASSIC
Review: This 1984 made for TV movie stars George C. Scott in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. To my knowledge, it's the only time An American actor has plaed the role unless you count Bill Murray's "Scrooged". Scott doesn't surpass Alastair Sim, but he gives a damn good performance, surrounded by a fine British vast including Edward Woodward as a fine Ghost of Christmas past. The movie portrays Dickensian England very well with great sets and costumes. This one doesn't seem to show up on TV all that much anymore which is a shame. A definite collection add here...
Rating:
Summary: The Best Version!
Review: There is a reason why TV critics did handstands when this movie premiered on CBS in 1984- it's pretty darn terrific! The story is known to almost everyone. It's Christmas Eve in 1840's England and at the office of Scrooge & Marley curmudgeonly Ebenezer Scrooge mutters "bah humbug" about the upcoming holiday. He rebuffs a Christmas dinner invitation by his only living relative, his nephew Fred, and begrudges having to give his overworked, underpaid employee Bob Cratchit a day off. After work, Scrooge retires to his empty, depressing house for a dreary, lonely meal. It is then that Scrooge is confronted by the chained spirit of his late partner, Jacob Marley. Marley warns Ebenezer that unless he repents from his greedy, selfish ways he will be doomed to walk chained in the spirit world as Marley does now. Marley offers Scrooge a chance for redemption. He will be visited by three spirits, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, who will arrive one after the other to give Scrooge the choice of either continuing on the path which his life is currently traveling or to strive for the path that leads to a better union with humankind. With apologies to fans of Alastair Sim's portrayal, George C. Scott stands head and shoulders above all as the "best" Ebenezer Scrooge. To me, Scott's Scrooge is much more realistic. Sim's portrayal ran from two extremes- extremely nasty to extemely happy. Scott does a much better job of humanizing Scrooge in his two forms: the embittered miser and then later on the reformed repentant. The best example of how Scott shines over Sim is how they say Scrooge's line about boiling people in their own pudding and then burying them with a stake of holly through the heart. Sim's Scrooge sounds so malevolent when saying that line that he comes across as a total sociopath. On the other hand, Scott's Scrooge laughs while saying that line. One still get's the idea that Scott's Scrooge lacks Christmas spirit and compassion, but one does not think that he is insane! I also love how Scott plays Scrooge after his night of transformation. He has the initial glee of being given a second chance, but he approaches his relatives and Bob Cratchit with his new outlook in a reserved way that shows a man still unsure if he will be accepted by people he had treated with such disdain for so many years. The scenes of Scrooge with his bewildered (but overjoyed) nephew are quite moving. This made-for-TV film also has much more than just Scott's magificent performance. The set design, outdoor locations, and costumes really make 19th century England come to life. It also follows the plot of Dickens' story fairly closely and the few changes and additions actually benefit the story's narrative such as having the ghosts visit all in one night and adding elements to explain how Scrooge ended up such an embittered man. The performances are uniformly great and compliment Scott very well. However, the two stand-outs are David Warner as Bob Crachit and Edward Woodward as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Also, as others have noticed, this is the only version of "A Christmas Carol" that has a Tiny Tim Crachit who looks like he really does have one foot in the grave. If you're looking for just one version of "A Christmas Carol" to add to your collection then this is the copy to get.
Rating:
Summary: George C. Scott's thoughtful performance as Scrooge
Review: The only thing that stops this 1984 version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" starring George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge could from being the best adaptation of all is that it was made for television. That is because every time we fade out for a commercial break and every time I think about how spectacular this film would look as a widescreen theatrical release, I have to be a bit disappointed. That being said, this is still a superb production, far and away the best of the made for television versions ("Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol" comes second). Scott's performance as Scrooge is very good for most of the film. You would think that since this is George C. Scott that playing a crotchety old miser would not be much of a stretch. But Scott actually does something different with Scrooge. This time around he is not bitter as much as he is worn down, more of an empty soul than a being consumed by darker emotions. Screenwriter Roger O. Hirson actually makes some excellent additions to the original story, fleshing out why the happy young Ebenezer we see in our visit to the past becomes the old Scrooge who undergoes this Yule time transformation. The only knock on the performance from my perspective is that like many fans of "A Christmas Carol" it is hard not to remember the superb performance by Alastair Sim in the 1951 film version and find the Oscar winning Scott coming second in the comparison. Still, this is arguably the most thoughtful performance of Scrooge you will see. But even if Scott's performance is found lacking by such a strict standard (Sim's performance remains the standard by which all other Scrooge's are judged), the rest of this production is superb. The supporting cast is as fine as has ever been assembled to play the other roles: David Warner providing a nice twist on Bob Cratchit, Susanna York as his wife, Frank Finlay as the ghost of Jacob Marley, Joanne Whalley as Fan, the girl who got away from young Ebenezer, and Roger Rees as Scrooge's nephew Fred (and the film's narrator). The trio of ghostly visitors who visit Scrooge all in one night are equally strong, with Angela Pleasence as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Edward Woodward getting everybody to say "Look, its the Equalizer!" as the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Michael Carter as the best Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come that I have seen. Director Clive Donner had done "Oliver Twist" for television two years earlier (as well as "The Scarlet Pimpernel"), and does another solid effort of presenting these well-known Dickensian characters and events. Production designer Roger Murray-Leach provides an old London towne that looks as great as any we have seen before for one of these films. But above all it is the cast and the thoughtful script that make this a superb adaptation. In the end my preference for the 1951 version comes down entirely to Sim's performance as the euphoric Scrooge. Fortunately, close counts for a lot when it comes to ranking favorite versions of "A Christmas Carol."
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